My First Brew Day

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

My kit :

30qt SS brew pot with a spigot and a 58,000btu burner.

6.5 Gallon "Ale Pail" Primary Fermenter with Grommeted Lid
6.5 Gallon "Ale Pail" Bottling Bucket with Spigot
5 Gallon Better Bottle® Carboy

Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser ■Triple Scale Hydrometer
Drilled Rubber Stopper ■Liquid Crystal Thermometer ■Lab Thermometer Siphon Hose and Shut-Off Clamp ■Brew Paddle ■Airlock
Twin Lever Capper ■Fermtech Auto Siphon ■Bottle Filler

Plate chiller

Cooper's PET 24oz. bottles

I'm brewing a Belgian Tripel from Brewer's Best. Recipe:

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1044_Belgian_Tripel.pdf

I think I might put some dried tropical fruit in the secondary too.


I'm currently accepting words of wisdom or sarcasm. Help a brother smooth out his first batch jitters!

TIA

 

[duboman]

Welcome to the obsession! Sweet start up setup! I don't see any sanitizer in the list though, do not confuse the cleaner for sanitizer, you need both!

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Welcome to the obsession! Sweet start up setup! I don't see any sanitizer in the list though, do not confuse the cleaner for sanitizer, you need both!

Thanks. I'm planning on getting some Iodophor.

I'll need some tubing and maybe some fittings too.

 

[Zalf]

Your kit wants to be beer. It is harder to screw up a batch than it is to make beer.

Being your first, not being able to see what is going on in that fermenting bucket is going to drive you nuts. Fermenting in that 5 gallon carboy is going to greatly increase your risk of a blow out but let you watch the process. My lack of discipline and lack of fear of ruining a batch is why my latest brew is crowded into a 5 gallon carboy for a primary instead of the nice roomy 6.5 gallon bucket. And I have seen the process plenty of times but still want to watch.

If you do decide to go with the carboy, do a search on creating a blow off instead of using the airlock.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Watching it ferment is something I think I can live without.

I'll use the carboy for the secondary though.

 

[unionrdr]

I'd stick with the ale pale for primary,you def need the added head space. The 5G BB is for secondary of 5 gallon batches. And those Cooper's PET bottles are 25.16oz,or 740ml. I have 45 of them,& a 6G batch will use 30 bottles at most. You'll wind up with 2 good 12oz glasses per bottle. & if you use a vinator to sanitize your bottles,you'll have to make a collar adapter out of a 2L pop bottle cap drilled to fit over the top post of the vinator to make'em work the pump. The Cooper's PET bottles have a larger opening than the typical glass bottles.
But those PET bottles are cool to bottle with,as they get harder to squeeze as they carbonate. & the screw on caps can be re-used several times. But after you bottle & cap them all,you'll need to go back & re-tighten them all,as they need to be really tight to hold carbonation. But they do perform very well. Nice BK & burner set up to. Looks like you got some good stuff!
But a Belgian trippel is going to take a while to ferment,& condition in the bottles. A quicker turn around ale would be better as a 1st brew.

 

[Zalf]

Watching it ferment is something I think I can live without.

I'll use the carboy for the secondary though.

Might want to do some searching around for whether a secondary is needed or beneficial. General sentiment now is that using a secondary is more risk for little to no reward. Visual action in a secondary is pretty dull so if you can do without watching the fermintation letting the beer stay in your primary fermenter until bottling time might be the way to go.

 

[jsv1204]

One of the great joys of starting this hobby (and growing it) is building the bottle collection. When else can you justify buying good beer as an investment? Invest a little elbow grease in some label removal and you will find it is a bit cheaper to buy beer bottles pre-filled... also... can't abide drinking beer out of plastic...

Cheers!

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

But a Belgian trippel is going to take a while to ferment,& condition in the bottles. A quicker turn around ale would be better as a 1st brew.

I don't mind waiting a while. I'll drink store bought beer while I'm waiting.

 

[unionrdr]

Just so you know,I'm talking months here,not weeks. But as a second brew,I suggest something like a pale ale or the like. Less time bk to glass. Still about 6 to 8 weeks even then for a good ale.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

also... can't abide drinking beer out of plastic...

Cheers!

I'll pour it into a glass of some sort.

I chose the 740ml PET bottles for value and convenience.

 

[nbolmer]

Might want to do some searching around for whether a secondary is needed or beneficial. General sentiment now is that using a secondary is more risk for little to no reward. Visual action in a secondary is pretty dull so if you can do without watching the fermintation letting the beer stay in your primary fermenter until bottling time might be the way to go.

If he's adding fruit like he says, a secondary will be essential.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Just so you know,I'm talking months here,not weeks. But as a second brew,I suggest something like a pale ale or the like. Less time bk to glass. Still about 6 to 8 weeks even then for a good ale.

I was thinking a couple months. I'm actually more exited to make it than drink it. Maybe I'll make something faster for the first batch. Maybe a milk stout. I probably still make the Tripel, though.

 

[unionrdr]

I'll pour it into a glass of some sort.

I chose the 740ml PET bottles for value and convenience.

The Cooper's PET bottles are made for bottling beer,& have a nylon coating inside to help stop o2 absorbtion. No off flavors from using them,ime. So no worries there.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

If he's adding fruit like he says, a secondary will be essential.

Yes sir!

I'm thinking about adding some tropical fruit, mostly to justify the use of the secondary.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

The Cooper's PET bottles are made for bottling beer,& have a nylon coating inside to help stop o2 absorbtion. No off flavors from using them,ime. So no worries there.

They seemed like a logical choice for bottling. However, I can see how some people prefer glass. Glass is more authentic, I guess.

 

[jsv1204]

ah... didn't notice that these were the big bottles. there is wisdom there, too... once it's open, ya gotta drink the whole thing! (nods sagely) hope it goes well!

 

[unionrdr]

Unless he's drinking with a friend or special someone. Then 2 glasses per bottle comes in handy. My wife & I do that when I bottle with them.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

ah... didn't notice that these were the big bottles. there is wisdom there, too... once it's open, ya gotta drink the whole thing! (nods sagely) hope it goes well!

25oz of 9% ale could get me into trouble when the optimal amount of 12oz beers is an odd number. I'll have to be careful.

 

[Zalf]

If he's adding fruit like he says, a secondary will be essential.

But the secondary being a 5 gallon carboy will make fruit additions hard and messy. I secondary 99% of by brew because 99% of my brews are fruit/vegi beers. The blonde crowding my 5 gallon carboy will soon crowd my 6.5 gallon bucket along with 8lbs of frozen peaches in a strainer bag.

From what it sounds like he is looking for I would primary in the bottling bucket so I could secondary in the "primary" bucket. That way the bottling bucket is empty come bottling time and you have the room to secondary on top of whatever you want.

I used my 5 gallon carboy as a primary because I never use the damn thing and have make excuses to use it.

Starting out you have to plan ahead to make sure you have the right vessel empty at the right time.

 

[Zalf]

25oz of 9% ale could get me into trouble when the optimal amount of 12oz beers is an odd number. I'll have to be careful.

Optimal takes on new meaning when you have a closet full of beer. Optimal can be anything from stretching the beer you have last until the next batch is ready to "having" to drink enough to free up enough bottles to bottle the next batch. E=mc2=mmm homebrew.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

But the secondary being a 5 gallon carboy will make fruit additions hard and messy.

I'll sacrifice some beer volume for fruit and I won't be putting a ton of fruit in the secondary. I would like to have a 6.5 carboy in addition to the 5 someday.

 

[Zalf]

I'll sacrifice some beer volume for fruit and I won't be putting a ton of fruit in the secondary. I would like to have a 6.5 carboy in addition to the 5 someday.

Oh I completely agree with do what you gotta do. Just talking details and options at this point. There isn't really a wrong way, just different ways of getting it right.

I am a fruit addition addict that is constantly juggling equipment and practices.

Depending on what you decide to add it might be something you want to add to a secondary for a while and remove from from the secondary well before you want to bottle the beer. Using a vessel you can easily add a bag of "stuff" to and just as easily remove the bag to leave the beer behind for more conditioning time is one of many ways to accomplish the same thing.

Several times I over/under planned and found myself without a bag when needed or ended up having to rack to a tertiary vessel.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

I'm wondering if I should put a filter in between the boil pot and the plate chiller.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Depending on what you decide to add it might be something you want to add to a secondary for a while and remove from from the secondary well before you want to bottle the beer. Using a vessel you can easily add a bag of "stuff" to and just as easily remove the bag to leave the beer behind for more conditioning time is one of many ways to accomplish the same thing.

Getting fruit in and out of the carboy does seem like a PITB. A bucket seems like it would be more convenient for fruit in that regard, but I've read that secondary fermentation in a bucket is frowned upon due to air leakage.

 

[unionrdr]

I used my bottling bucket I made for a secondary before. Tight sealed lid & the plastic is good for a secondary of a couple of weeks. But if you're bulk aging for long periods,I don't think I would. The plastic isn't that permiable to o2. It takes a while for that to happen. So a plastic secondary is fine for oaking or fruit additions.

 

[Zalf]

Getting fruit in and out of the carboy does seem like a PITB. A bucket seems like it would be more convenient for fruit in that regard, but I've read that secondary fermentation in a bucket is frowned upon due to air leakage.

Again, different paths to the same point. With my fruit beers I always get at least some fermentation after racking. It doesn't take much co2 to get a protective layer. If you arent moving your beer around a lot even a thin layer is enough to protect the beer since co2 is heavier than o.

I get much more concerned removing the fruit bag slow enough to not splash around the beer but leaving as much fluid behind as possible. That fruit can soak up some serious volume. A lot of balance to find between OMG the top is off my bucket, OMG I am trying to remove a 10lb bag from my bucket without causing the slightest splash, and OMG there is so much beer in these berries I need to let it drain(with an open lid and without splashing) for days or I am going to end up only having 5 ounces to bottle!

Just more things to add to list of things that brewers worry about but still manage to make great beer. Worrying just a little about all of these things makes you cautious enough to make great beer. Worrying too much about all of these things drives you crazy thinking you have "ruined" your beer.

Hince, rdwhahb.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Well my first set back has occurred. This 30qt turkey frier with spigot from Bass Pro Shop seemed like a good thing to buy for brewing beer until you get it out of the box, assemble it and realize a few things.

The burner is rigged to a 20 minute timer. If you don't reset the timer before the end of 20 minutes, the flame goes out. Plus the timer constantly tick tocks like a freaking bomb. I can't have a timer destroy the zen of my boil. Maybe I can bypass the timer with a different regulator? PITA

The other problem with this frier setup is the pot. The pot itself is nice is enough. The problem with the pot is the spigot. The inside fitting on the spigot has a hexagon shape. This makes it difficult to rig a spigot filter inside the pot. I suppose I could find a hex copper tube. Maybe there is an adapter of some sort.

I can't return it easily either. I'm not pleased with this purchase. Perhaps this is a sign that I should use this pot for heating sparge water and go all grain right out of the gate!

 

[djfriesen]

You should be able to bypass that safety "feature". If you do a search here for turkey fryer modifications, I'm sure you'll find some help.

What are your wanting to filter out, exactly? You're extract brewing, so the only particulate issues you would have are hop pellet residue and break material. A hop bag or hop spider solves the first issue, and whirlpooling solves the second. That said, plenty of brewers just throw everything in the fermenter as it all settles out during the 3+ weeks anyway. That burner looks great, and the only issue I could foresee is the pot guard getting in the way of upgrading to a bigger BK.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

I probably won't extract brew more than a few times. I figured I'd want a spigot filter for future all grain brews and it wouldn't hurt to have it for extract brews. I have plate chiller and I'd like to minimize the particles that pass through it.

 

[Kingfish]

I can't return it easily either. I'm not pleased with this purchase. Perhaps this is a sign that I should use this pot for heating sparge water and go all grain right out of the gate!

I think Bass Pro has a good return policy. You are not satisfied. I would take it back and order an SQ14 or similar.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

I'll probably keep it. I can always use the kettle. The burner didn't account for much of the cost of the kit. Maybe $20. I'll use it for a while and maybe get a better burner if I get a bigger kettle someday.

 

[jsv1204]

My turkey fryer burner setup has the same thing. No ticking but do have to hit the button every 15 minutes. I like the spigot and have avoided the whole filter thing by using a strainer when I drain to the primary. You get a little extra aeration that way, too.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

Just so you know,I'm talking months here,not weeks. But as a second brew,I suggest something like a pale ale or the like. Less time bk to glass. Still about 6 to 8 weeks even then for a good ale.

You talked me out of the Tripel. Some sources recommend aging for 6-12 months for best results.

I probably go with a porter or stout for the first try.

 

[unionrdr]

I'd go for the porter out of the two. My son served me a chili porter that was a one off from one of the craft brewers folks on here like. Forget the name,but the chili was a little too far on the back. Just a hint,but good.

 

[BaronVonMeisterburger]

How does this recipe look for a first timer? Drinkable??


8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) 4.7 %
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) 4.7 %
4.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) 2.3 %

1 lbs Dark Dry Extract (17.5 SRM) dry 9.3 %
4 lbs Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM) 37.2 %
4 lbs Dark Liquid Extract (17.5 SRM) 37.2 %

1.00 oz Brewer's Gold [8.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min - 22.4 IBUs

8.0 oz Milk Sugar (Lactose) 4.7 %
8.00 oz Malto-Dextrine

1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.071 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.5 %

Bitterness: 22.4 IBUs
Calories: 227.9 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 29.6 SRM